US7093597B2 - Respiratory equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Respiratory apparatus including stowage equipment is addressed. The equipment may include a non-rigid bag covering at least part of an oxygen mask. The bag additionally may have an opening through which a portion of the mask protrudes, thereby facilitating its grasping and rapid donning by a user.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to respiratory equipment and more particularly to housings adapted to facilitate rapid donning of respiratory masks, typically (but not exclusively) by aircraft crewmembers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,045 to Bertheau, et al., incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference, discloses an exemplary respiratory mask and an associated box or housing. As noted in the Bertheau patent: “As the cruising altitude of passenger and business airplanes increases, it becomes more and more difficult to protect the crew members against a sudden depressurization.” See Bertheau, col. 1, 11.

• 16–18. Consequently, harnesses for respiratory masks have been developed which may be stored in a box in close proximity to the seat and may be grasped by the user with one hand and donned in a time as short as some seconds. However, if depressurization occurs at a very high altitude, lack of oxygen due to exposure to vacuum during some seconds may be sufficient for causing a delayed temporary loss of consciousness after which it will be too late for the pilot to resume aircraft control.
• See id., 11. 37–44.

The Bertheau patent thus describes equipment including a mask harness which, among other features, “lowers the time period following pressurization failure before respiratory oxygen is available to the user.” See id., 11. 59–61. Illustrated inFIG. 1A of the Bertheau patent is an exemplary storage box for the harness. Because of space restrictions in cockpits of many aircraft, often these storage boxes are sized to be only slightly larger than the dimensions of the associated mask (and uninflated harness), thus lacking room for many “full-face” masks combining both oxygen regulators and goggles.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,566 to McDonald, et al., also incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference, illustrates one such full-face assembly. The McDonald patent attempts to describe a supposed solution to this issue by utilizing so-called “flexible” lenses and seals so that “the mask may be rolled” for storage in a small(er), boxy container. See McDonald, col. 5, 11. 18–22. Such a container is illustrated, at least generally, inFIG. 3 of the McDonald patent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides respiratory apparatus including storage equipment unlike the boxes presently in use. Although the apparatus may incorporate features of existing stowage boxes, it additionally may comprise a non-rigid bag covering at least part of a full-face type mask. Typically (although not necessarily) made of fabric, preferred bags will be attached to upper parts of associated boxes and contain lateral openings through which mask assemblies may protrude. By appropriately orienting the protruding portions, the masks may be positioned to facilitate their rapid donning by aircrew personnel.

Bags of the present invention further may include one or more repositionable flaps to facilitate donning and stowage of the masks. Preferably hook-and-loop (e.g. Velcro) fasteners are used to attach the flaps to the remainder of the bags, with the fastening strength being sufficiently low as not to impede significantly a user from removing the mask for use. Indeed, a user's grasping the mask and pulling it from the housing is expected readily to cause the components of the hook-and-loop fasteners to disengage, thus freeing the mask from the bag for donning. Upon returning the mask for stowage, the user need merely position the mask appropriately and then reconnect the components of the fasteners to provide a snug enclosure for the mask.

Stowage equipment of the present invention also may include a pneumatic assembly with suitable supply and outlet hoses and valving. In some embodiments of the equipment, the pneumatic assembly is installed in the bag with a mounted bracket so as to allow a flow indicator to protrude therefrom to make it visible to crew members. The equipment additionally may be adapted to fit into the console space currently allocated for the solely rigid boxes so that, if desired, aircraft may be retrofitted.

It thus is an object of the present invention to provide storage equipment for respiratory apparatus equipped with a face seal of a full-face mask.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide storage equipment including a bag adapted snugly to enclose at least part of the respiratory apparatus.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide storage equipment in which the bag includes a lateral opening through which at least part of the respiratory apparatus may protrude.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide storage equipment with one or more repositionable flaps whose fastening components may be caused to separate when a mask of the respiratory equipment is pulled from the bag.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pneumatic assembly attached to the storage equipment so as to permit a flow indicator to protrude therefrom.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of exemplary respiratory equipment including a full-face respiratory mask and a housing or container therefor.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the equipment ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar toFIG. 1 but with the mask removed from the housing (as, for example, for use).

FIGS. 4A–D are views showing aspects of the housing ofFIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1–3detail equipment10 of the present invention.Equipment10 includeshousing14 andmask18, the latter of which is of the full-face variety. Depicted inFIGS. 1–2 are portions ofoxygen regulator22 and (inflatable)harness26 together withregulator supply hose30. Such components may be similar to the regulator, harness, and supply hose of the Bertheau patent, for example, or to the corresponding components identified in the McDonald patent. They need not be so limited, however, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerous other regulation equipment, harnesses or straps (whether inflatable or not), and hoses or tubes may be satisfactorily employed.

Additionally illustrated inFIGS. 1–2 are tabs orpaddles34, described as “ears” in the Bertheau patent. These paddles34, when depressed, actuate a control valve permitting pressurized respiratory gas to inflateharness26.Paddles34 further typically constitute the means by which auser grasps mask18 to remove it fromhousing14.

As detailed inFIGS. 1–3,housing14 may comprisecontainer38 andbag42.Container38 andbag42 typically are connected in some manner to form a single unit. Screws, bolts, or any other suitable fasteners may be used to attached the two together.

Container38 preferably is comprised of metal, hard plastic, or other relatively rigid material and may be adapted to fit into the instrument console of an aircraft cockpit.Bag42, by contrast, is preferably formed of a flexible material, such as soft fabric, able to conform (at least to reasonable extent) to the general shape ofmask18.FIGS. 1–2 illustratebag42 as so conformed, so thatbag42 covers much ofmask18.

Typically, however,bag42 is designed withlateral opening46 through which a portion ofmask18 protrudes. In particular,paddles34 advantageously protrude through opening46 and thus are immediately accessible to a wearer ofmask18. With this arrangement, no part of eitherbag42 orcontainer38 impedes access topaddles34.

Depicted especially inFIG. 3 areflap50,side walls54A–B,rear wall56, andbase58 ofbag42.Base58 preferably constitutes the portion ofbag42 fixed tocontainer38 and may include one or more openings through whichsupply hose30 and other hoses, tubes, connectors, or other equipment extend.Flap50 may be integrally formed with or sewn or otherwise attached torear wall56, preferably (although not necessarily) so as to be inseparable therefrom. By contrast,flap50 typically is designed to separate fromside walls54A–B (as illustrated inFIG. 3); hence, connection offlap50 andside walls54A–B desirably is made with a non-permanent, re-engageable fastening mechanism. One such mechanism comprises hook-and-loop fasteners62 and64, with strips of either hooks or loops affixed along appropriate edges of each offlap50,side wall54A, andside wall54B. Those skilled in the art will, of course, recognize that alternative fasteners may be employed instead.

When the hooks and loops offasteners62 and64 are engaged,bag42 appears as shown inFIGS. 1–2, snugly enclosing the bulk ofmask18. To utilize themask18, a wearer may simply grasp the protruding mask18 (preferably using—and thereby depressing—paddles34 so as immediately to inflate harness26) and pull the mask away from bag42 (i.e. out of the plane of the page ofFIG. 1). Doing so provides enough force to cause the hooks and loops offasteners62 and64 to disengage, thus separatingflap50 fromside walls54A–B (as shown inFIG. 2). Not only does this result preventbag42 from impeding removal ofmask18 to any significant extent, it also facilitates reinsertion of themask18 intohousing14 after use.

FIGS. 4A–D detail, somewhat schematically, additional features of embodiments ofequipment10.System81A may, for example, be quarter-turn fastening apparatus designed to attachequipment10 to a console, whileconnectors81B and81C allow connection to a respiratory gas supply and electrical supply (to power a microphone), respectively. Any suitable fasteners and connectors may be used, however. To retrofit an aircraft console withequipment10, the existing stowage box may be removed and disconnected from the cockpit gas and electrical supply lines, those lines connected toconnectors81B and81C, respectively, andequipment10 affixed in position in theconsole using system81A.

Additionally detailed in FIGS.3 and4A–D is apneumatic assembly83, comprising some or all ofsupply hose83A,valve83B,flow indicator83C, andoutlet hose83D (for connection to regulator supply hose30). In preferred embodiments ofequipment10,assembly83 is installed inbag42 using a mounting bracket, withflow indicator83C protruding throughflap50 and visible externally of thebag42. In this manner, a user (or others) may visually determine whether respiratory gas is flowing to mask18 merely by examiningflow indicator83C. Those skilled in the art understandassembly83 need not be installed in exactly this manner, however, but rather may be incorporated in any desirable way as part ofequipment10.

The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to the illustrated and described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. As a non-limiting example of a possible adaptation, applicants note that embodiments ofequipment10 may include as part of assembly83 a valve activated automatically whenmask18 is removed frombag42. Likewise, a microphone included as part ofmask18 may be activated automatically when themask18 is deployed. Further,equipment10 may be positioned within aircraft other than in cockpits, permitting its use by non-pilot crew and passengers; additionally, if appropriately modified,equipment10 may be utilized in vehicles other than aircraft, in buildings, or as stand-alone or portable breathing apparatus.

Claims (5)

1. Housing for stowing respiratory equipment, comprising:

a. generally rigid container; and

b. a flexible bag attached to the container and comprising:

i. at least one repositionable flap; and

ii. at least one side wall to which the flap is removably fastened using a fastener, with the act of pulling the respiratory equipment from the bag disengaging the fastener to cause the flap and side wall to separate.

2. A flexible bag for a respiratory mask, comprising:

a. a base;

b. a rear wall and at least one side wall, each connected to or formed with the base;

c. a flap connected to or formed with the base; and

d. at least one fastener for connecting the flap with the at least one side wall, so as snugly to enclose at least a first portion of the respiratory mask when the respiratory mask is stowed.

3. A flexible bag according toclaim 2 defining an opening through which a second portion of the respiratory mask protrudes when the respiratory mask is stowed.

4. Respiratory equipment comprising:

a. a full-face oxygen mask comprising:

i. a regulator; and

ii. at least one paddle for activating flow of oxygen through the regulator;

b. a rigid box adapted for connection within a console of an aircraft cockpit; and

c. a flexible bag attached directly to the box and snugly enclosing a portion of the mask for stowage, the bag comprising:

i. a repositionable flap; and

ii. an opening through which the paddle protrudes.

5. A method for deploying a respiratory mask, comprising:

a. providing a housing for stowing the mask, the housing (i) formed at least in part of flexible material, (ii) including a flap, and (iii) having an opening through which a portion of the mask protrudes;

b. grasping the protruding portion of the mask; and

c. pulling the mask away from the housing, thereby separating the flap from at least part of the remainder of the housing.

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